1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus and method for monitoring the immediate surroundings of a vehicle, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for monitoring the immediate surroundings of a vehicle, which is provided with a camera mounted on a vehicle door able to open and close, and which displays a captured image of the vehicle immediate surroundings captured by the camera on a display.
2. Description of the Related Art
JP(A) 8-16999, for example, discloses an apparatus for monitoring the immediate surroundings of a vehicle which notifies the driver using warning means when a captured image of the vehicle immediate surroundings from a camera is off from a desired reference image. This apparatus uses as the desired reference image an image captured when a reference mounted on a fixed portion of the vehicle that is in the image area captured by the camera is in an initial position, and detects a change in position of that reference in the captured image. If it is determined that the position of the reference has changed from the initial position, the driver is notified. This apparatus therefore enables a situation to be avoided in which a vehicle occupant perceives the immediate surroundings of the vehicle erroneously due to a captured image that is improper because of the mounting position of the camera serving as the imaging device.
However, with cameras or the like mounted on a front portion and rear portion of the vehicle so as to capture areas to the front and rear of the vehicle, there may be cases in which a fixed portion of the vehicle is not in the image area captured by the camera, in which case it is difficult to establish an appropriate reference in the captured image area. With the apparatus of the foregoing publication, therefore, if the fixed portion of the vehicle is not included in the image area captured by the camera, it is not possible to detect whether the direction of image capture by the camera is off with respect to the desired direction. As a result, if the direction is off, the occupant may be led to have an erroneous perception of the immediate surroundings of the vehicle.